"Justified by His grace..."
Text: Titus 3:7
THE TEACHING OF JUSTIFICATION
“Justification” is a truly glorious doctrine that we must never take for granted. The apostle Paul highlights this doctrine in close association with “salvation”. In his famous Epistle to the Romans, he wrote about justification as well. Taken together we have a wonderful teaching.
“That having been justified by His grace we should
become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:7
1. “That”
a) This word indicates “purpose”, “goal” or even “result”.
b) The result of having been justified is highlighted here.
2. “Having been justified”
a) To be justified is to be “declared righteous”.
b) Of particular importance are the following thoughts:-
i) It is God who alone can declare a person righteous.
ii) In God’s sight the person justified stands before Him as one clothed in righteousness.
3. How may a person be justified?
a) He may be justified by God’s grace.
i) God’s grace is His unmerited favour.
ii) Only by His grace may a sinner be declared righteous.
b) He may be justified by the blood of Christ.
i) This is highlighted in Romans 5:9.
ii) The role of Jesus must be acknowledged.
c) He may be justified by faith.
i) This is highlighted in Romans 5:1.
ii) The individual must exercise personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. “Heirs according to the hope of eternal life”
a) One wonderful outcome is that we are made “heirs”.
b) The believer becomes “an heir of God through Christ” in Galatians 4:7.
c) This is a great truth that goes with our hope of eternal life in Christ Jesus the Lord.
d) This flows from the doctrine of “justification by grace”.